Sept. 14, 2000
8:00 AM ET.
Alert No. 20. |
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Copyright 1998 - 2000 David Carney, dba Tech Law Journal. All rights
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| News Briefs |
9/13. The House Banking
Committee held a hearing on HR
4311, the Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2000. Betsy
Broder, of the FTC's Bureau of
Consumer Protection testified that "The Internet has
dramatically altered the potential occurrence and impact of identity
theft. First, the Internet provides access to identifying
information, through both illicit and legal means. The global
publication of identifying details that previously were available
only to a select few increases the potential for misuse of that
information. Second, the ability of the identity thief to purchase
goods and services from innumerable e-merchants expands the
potential harm to the victim through numerous purchases." See, Broder
testimony. See also, links to prepared
statements of all witnesses.
9/13. FCC Chairman Wm. Kennard
gave a speech
to the NABOB.
"The rise of the New Economy brought Americans great
prosperity, but it also created considerable new dangers. Those
without access to crucial new technologies now faced a silicon
ceiling that threatened to limit their upward mobility and their
full potential," said Kennard. "Thanks to the leadership
of President Clinton and Vice-President Gore, we have wired one
million classrooms to the Internet through the e-rate program."
He also addressed low power FM, EEO rules, and minority broadcast
ownership.
9/13. The EPIC sent a letter to the subscribers of its e-mail alert
stating that it will no longer have a formal relationship with Amazon.com, due to its recent
changes to its privacy practices. EPIC is a a Washington DC based
group involved in privacy and civil rights issues associated with
electronic media. See also, Amazon's
privacy policy.
9/13. The Information Technology
Association of America (ITAA) announced that Robert Cresanti
will join its staff as SVP of Government Affairs and General
Counsel. He previously was Staff Director of the Financial
Institutions Subcommittee of the Senate Banking Committee. He also
worked for the Senate Y2K Committee. He is a Texan. See, ITAA
release.
9/13. Marc Wensell was sentenced in the U.S. District Court (EDVa)
to serve 3 years of probation for criminal copyright infringement
in connection with the sale of pirated software over the Internet.
Wensell entered a plea of guilty to one count of violation of 17
U.S.C. § 506 (a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2319 (b)(1). See, SIIA
release.
9/13. Microsoft filed three complaints in U.S. District Court (EDMO)
alleging copyright infringement for distributing counterfeit
software. See, release.
9/13. The SEC adopted rules to
allow investment advisors to submit their registration forms and
other filings electronically. The SEC's new Investment Adviser
Registration Depository (IARD) is a web based system. It will
provide information about advisers, including the services they
provide, fees they charge, their conflicts of interest and
disciplinary history. See, SEC release.
9/13. The U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC) released a Preliminary
Determination [41 pages in PDF] on its investigation of a
complaint that Korea, China, and the UK are importing desktop note
counters and scanners into the U.S. in violation of §733(a)
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. §1673b(a), regarding
anti-dumping. The ITC found that "there is no reasonable
indication that an industry in the United States is threatened with
material injury by reason of subject imports ..."
[Investigations Nos. 731-TA-885-887]
9/12. Reps. Tom Bliley
(R-VA), Billy
Tauzin (R-LA), and Mike
Oxley (R-OH) sent a letter
to USTR
Charlene Barshefsky regarding government ownership of
foreign telecom monopolies. "A telecom regulator cannot be
truly 'impartial' if it retains a financial interest in the
incumbent telephone company." They continued that, "now is
the time for foreign governments to get out of the telecom services
business. And now is the time for USTR to see that it is done."
9/12. Napster filed its Reply Brief [47 pages
in PDF] with the U.S. Court of Appeals (9th Cir.) in Napster
v. A&M Records. It asserts that "serious errors
pervade" the Appellees' Brief, and that Appellees assert as
fact propositions not found by the District Court. Napster also
argues that Appellees misinterpret the AHRA and the Sony
case.
9/12. The House Science
Committee's Subcommittee on Basic Research held a hearing titled
"Beyond Silicon-Based Computing: Quantum and Molecular
Computing." "If we are to continue to see improvements
in the performance and cost of computing, we must go beyond
silicon," said the NSF's Ruzena Bajcsy. See, prepared
statements of Rep. Nick Smith
(R-MI), Ruzena
Bajcsy, Charles
Bennett (IBM), Timothy Havel
(Harvard), and Laura
Landweber (Princeton).
9/12. The Senate resumed consideration of HR
4444, a bill to provide PNTR
status for China. The Senate also proceeded with its serial
rejection of numerous proposed amendments. The following amendments
were defeated:
• Byrd Amendment No. 4117, regarding WTO subsidy obligations.
• Wellstone Am. No. 4119 (prison labor) by a vote of 29 yeas to 68
nays [Roll Call No. 238].
• Helms/Wellstone Am. No. 4125 (human rights) by a vote of 32 yeas
to 63 nays [Roll Call No. 239].
• Wellstone Am. No. 4118 (human rights).
• Wellstone Am. No. 4120 (unions).
• Wellstone Am. No. 4121 (strikes).
• Smith (NH) Am. No. 4129 (abortions and body parts).
• Byrd Am. No. 4131 (USITC).
• Thompson Am. No. 4132 (bombs and rockets).
• Hollings Am. No. 4134 (SEC 10-K forms).
• Hollings Am. No. 4135 (grains and beans).
• Hollings Am. No. 4136 (trade reports).
• Hollings Am. No. 4137 (insurance).
Editor's Note: This column includes all News Briefs added to
Tech Law Journal since the last Daily E-Mail Alert. The dates
indicate when the event occurred, not the date of posting to Tech
Law Journal. |
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|
| Breaking News |
The Washington Post reports
in its Thursday edition that "this morning the FCC is scheduled
to launch an inquiry into the complex question of whether cable
television systems – an increasingly popular conduit for
high-speed Internet access – must share their wires with rivals
that want to ride them into homes." But, it will not be a
formal rule making proceeding. See, full
story.
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| New Documents |
Kennard: Speech
to the NABOB, 9/13 (HTML, FCC).
Rep. Bliley: Letter
to USTR Barshefsky regarding foreign government telecom
monopolies, 9/12 (HTML, TLJ).
Napster: Reply
Brief in Napster v. A&M Records, 9/12 (PDF,
Napster).
|
| New and Updated Sections |
Calendar
(updated).
News
from Around the Web (updated daily).
|
| Quote of the Day |
"silicon ceiling"
William Kennard, Chairman of the FCC (source) |
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